Page 86 of That Conflicted Feeling

“Yes,”Carlysays again.

“Ipicked up some magazines from the living room floor and turned and somehow fell weirdly, hit the coffee table sideways, and sort of twisted and ended up on the floor and couldn’t get up.”Shegiggles. “Sosilly.”

“Ionly found her by chance,”Carlysays. “Ihad a funny worried feeling, soIcalled her.Therewas no answer.Ikept trying, and nothing.SoIgot more worried and closed up the shop for a bit to check on her.Andfound her lying there.”

“ThankGod, you did,”Pollysays to the woman who’s as much of a sister to her asWalkerandTomare brothers to me.

Sherubs her mom’s hand. “Howlong had you been stuck there?”

“Oh,Idon’t know.Imight have passed out a little bit.”

“Passedout?”Pollylooks fromGloriatoCarlyand back again. “Ishould never have left.IfI’dbeen home, this would never have happened and all your bones would still be in one piece.”

“Oh, you can’t lock yourself up like a prisoner with me for the rest of your life, my love.”Gloriaquirks her eyebrows at me. “Especiallywhen you have a handsome young man to have fun with.”

Iopen my mouth to make a joke about going to look for a handsome young man, butPollycuts in. “Idon’t need to have fun with anyone.Ineed to run the shop and make sure you’re okay.That’sallIneed.”

“Oh,Poll.Comeon.”Carlyhalf closes her eyes like she’s said this a thousand times. “Youneed a life.”

SinceIseem to be the subject of a family dispute,Ishould probably make myself scarce for a bit.

“I’llgo grab us some coffee or tea.Whatwould everyone like?”

“Oh, a caramel latte would be lovely,”Gloriasays as ifI’doffered her the world. “Ionly have those whenI’mout.”

Iguess the drugs must be good if she thinks lying in a hospital bed with a broken leg constitutes going out.

“Herbaltea for me please,”Carlysays. “Andanything with chamomile for her.”Shepoints atPolly. “Tochill her out.”

“Nothingfor me,” saysPollyas she looks right at me for the first time since we got on the helicopter. “AndCarlycan get the drinks.”Thehard, steely eyes are back. “Ithink you should go.”

25

POLLY

“She’llbe fine till you get home,Poll.You’lldrive her nuts if you keep calling.”Carlystaggers in the front door of the shop with a stack of empty crates asIfinish a call with my mom and shove the phone in my pocket.

MainStreetis closed off today for the first farmers’ market of the year, andCarly’sbusy setting up our stall.

Islump against the berry rack. “Thanks.That’sexactly what she just told me.”

Becauseshe passed out when she fell,Momwas kept in the hospital overnight for observation and didn’t get home till yesterday afternoon.Iwanted to stay with her today, but she insistedIcome in soCarlywould be free to run the stall and we can make the most of one of the busiest days of the year.

“Beautifulmorning out there.”Carlypeeps at me over the top of the crates as she passes by on her way to dump them out back. “Youknow, your mom andIthink—”

Isilence her with a glare that would rot the tomatoes she’s just stacked.Ifshe tells me one more time how crazyIam to sendMaxpacking, she’ll end up wearing one of those crates as a necklace.

HowcouldIhave been so selfish as to jet off on a helicopter to have mind-blowing sex with a billionaire on a private island while my mom was lying unconscious on the living room floor with a broken leg?

Theone moment in the last few years thatIdidn’t have the shop and my mom at the forefront of my mind, the one momentIallowed myself to sink into selfish pleasure, look what happened.

Iwill never forgive myself.

AndIwill absolutely never let it happen again.

Carlyre-emerges through the beaded curtain with a box ofMom’ssoaps.

“Thisis the last thingIneed for the stall, then we’ll be good to go.Greatturnout today.Everybody’shere.”Shepauses on her way out and looks back at me. “Stopworrying.She’sin a leg brace now anyway, so there’s a limit to the amount of trouble she can get herself into.”